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It was surprising when Vivendi Games originally announced that 50 Cent would be taking on a Middle Eastern crime cartel in Blood on the Sand, the follow-up to the rapper's gaming debut, Bulletproof. It was not surprising when THQ today announced it had acquired the rights to the game.

Earlier this month, ratings for Vivendi Games' abandoned shooter 50 Cent: Blood on the Sand surfaced on the site of the Australian Classification Board, with THQ listed as publisher. While the company behind Saints Row and WWE SmackDown vs. Raw didn't 'fess up at the time, posted ratings information has leaked the existence of games and information about publishers numerous times in the past, with few errors.

Set for release on the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 early next year, Blood on the Sand sees 50 Cent and members of the G-Unit dive headfirst into a warzone as they attempt to collect payment for services rendered from a criminal syndicate. Taking a page from Gears of War, Blood on the Sand will emphasize run-and-gun gameplay and online cooperative action. And to make the most of its celebrity tie-in, the game will also include 18 new tracks from 50 Cent.

Blood on the Sand was developed by Swordfish Studios (Cold Winter) using Unreal Engine 3, the technology behind a slew of games from Gears of War to Hour of Victory. For more on the game, check out GameSpot's previous coverage.